Stationary Power Facilities

Research Boiler

The research boilers is a 1,000 lb steam/h watertube boiler that is used for evaluating combustion and emissions performance of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. (view schematic)

Fluidized-Bed Combustor/Gasifier

The fluidized-bed test unit can be operated in either the circulating or bubbling bed mode and can be operated as either a combustor or gasifier. It is used for investigating fundamental fuels combustion/gasification performance, emissions characterization, and deposition/agglomeration behavior. (view schematic)

Down-Fired Combustor

The down-fired combustor is a refractory-lined combustor designed to evaluate the combustion performance, pollutant emissions, and mineral matter transformation behavior of various fuels (natural gas, coal, biomass, coal-water slurry fuels). (view schematic)

Drop-Tube Reactor

The drop-tube reactor is an electrically heated unit used for a variety of fundamental studies including pyrolysis and oxidative kinetics parameters, release profiles of volatile matter, nitrogen, and carbon, and depositional characteristics when using coal and opportunity/biomass fuels. (view schematic)

Gasification Reactor

The gasification reactor is a laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reaction system capable of gasifying a variety of traditional fossil fuels as well as opportunity/ biomass fuels. It is used for fundamental kinetics studies and fuels evaluation. (view schematic)

Stoker Simulator

The stoker apparatus simulates the combustion environment typically found in traveling-grate stokers and is used to evaluate combustion and emissions performance of coals and opportunity/biomass fuels. The facility simulates a moving bed in that the air flow rates are varied with time, and the ignition plane can be traced as a function of time and operating conditions. (view schematic)

Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization Scrubber

The WFGD test facility is integrated with the research boiler and is used for characterizing and evaluation limestones as reagents, and additives for reducing SO₂ emissions. (view schematic)

Fuel Preparation/Processing Equipment

Fuel preparation and processing equipment are available for cleaning coals, size reduction and classification of coal and biomass, dewatering of fine coal, and coal-water mixture (CWM) preparation. Pilot-scale facilities include a double-stage froth flotation circuit (rougher and cleaner cells), two continuous ball/rod mill systems, several crushers, a hammermill, an air-swept pulverizer, three high-speed centrifuges, and mixing tanks/pumps for CWM preparation and handling. Bench-top facilities include several types of mills, crushers, and screening systems for fuel processing.